LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers couldn't have asked for much more from Tyler Glasnow in his two starts since coming off the 60-day injured list. What's been lacking for him -- and most of the pitching staff, lately -- is run support.
Glasnow struck out six across six strong innings of one-run ball, but the Dodgers were shut out 2-0 by the Brewers on Friday night at Dodger Stadium to open the second half of the season. L.A. has been held to two runs or fewer in seven of its past 10 games, a span that includes a season-high seven-game losing streak.
After spending more than two months on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation, Glasnow has looked sharp. In a pair of starts since being activated on July 9, the 31-year-old has combined to allow two runs (one earned) across 11 innings.
In his return to action, Glasnow saw an uptick in fastball velocity that he attributed to both improved mechanics and his eagerness to be back. That trend continued on Friday, with Glasnow averaging 97.3 mph on his four-seamer (up 1.9 mph from his season average) and 97.4 mph on his sinker (up 1.7 mph).
"He's been able to stay in his rhythm, stay in his delivery, just be in compete mode," manager Dave Roberts said. "It's nice to see the 99s, the slider's playing. There's swing-and-miss there. … To get him through six is just another building block for Tyler. I think he's in a really good spot. He's healthy, feeling confident, and we're better for it, for sure."
A point of emphasis for Glasnow this season has been trusting his stuff rather than getting caught up in his mechanics when something goes awry. He had that mentality working in his final two innings.
Glasnow's command faltered in the fifth, when he walked Brewers right fielder Isaac Collins to lead off the inning. Collins moved over on a groundout before scoring on a Caleb Durbin double, but that was the extent of the damage Glasnow allowed. He came into the sixth inning looking much sharper, working around a one-out single to retire the side.
"When I’m feeling bad, I resort more to, ‘How do we fix this?’ As opposed to like, ‘This is what I got today. Let’s just go get it,’" Glasnow said. "And I think a lot of that was due to [offseason mechanical] changes, and I’m just in a better position right now to go out and be athletic.”
But the Dodgers had no answers for Brewers starter Quinn Priester, who allowed just three hits in six innings and racked up 10 strikeouts, one short of his career high. One of the knocks was a 114.1 mph double off the bat of Freddie Freeman, whose 534th career two-bagger tied Lou Gehrig at 41st on the all-time list. But on the next pitch, Will Smith lined into a double play to end the fourth inning.
So it was for the Dodgers, who had just one additional player reach scoring position the rest of the night: Shohei Ohtani, who stole second base after reaching on a fielder's choice in the sixth inning.
Milwaukee's pitchers have been especially tough on L.A.'s slumping offense, holding the team to a combined four runs in three games last week at American Family Field.
"You just tip your cap," left fielder Michael Conforto said of Priester. "But again, we’ve got to figure out a way to get guys on and score runs. Because our pitchers did their job tonight, so we’ve got to figure out how to get something going."
Glasnow made only five starts before going on the IL in late April and never really had the chance to get in a rhythm. One of those outings was cut short by leg cramps; another lasted only one inning because of the shoulder discomfort that sent him to the IL.
The extended time away was not ideal, but the process of getting back has helped Glasnow get his feel back on the mound.
“I think pitching is just a volatile thing," Glasnow said. "Sometimes rehab feels great. Sometimes you come back and just kind of ride the wave a little bit. And I think having that time off and getting my feet wet in Triple-A, and then just having the consistent starts has been helpful for me. It kind of felt weird in the beginning, but I’m kind of getting into how I feel normally.”